Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Measure B1 Backers Pull Plug on Recount

Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 3:11 PM

Backers of Measure B1 called a halt to the partial recount of ballots that they had requested from the November 6 election, after a review of votes yesterday failed to produce a substantial number of new "yes" for the measure. According to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters' Office, Measure B1, a tax measure that would have raised $7.8 billion for transportation projects in the county, fell just 721 votes short of passing. In a statement, Tess Lengyel of the Alameda County Transportation Authority, the official sponsor of Measure B1, said that the partial recount of 28,000 ballots yesterday produced only seven new "yes" votes.

"I am confident that the decision to request a recount was the right one, as was our decision to discontinue it," said Alameda CTC Executive Director Arthur Dao in a statement. "Our Commission feels that performing due diligence was our obligation with a vote this close, and a transportation plan worth $8 billion dollars in local investment and thousands of jobs opportunities. I'm proud that Alameda CTC is known to be an excellent steward of public funds, and this prudent use of funds is no different. The recount cost less than $8,000."